to-day will go down into history as one of the most extraordinary
events in the annals of these islands. Not since the marshalling of
Cromwell's Puritan army have we had anything approaching a
parallel; but, whereas the Puritans took up arms against a king of
whom they disapproved, the men of Ulster strongly protest their
loyalty to the British Throne. The great crowd which lined the
enclosure was eager, earnest, and sympathetic. It was not a
boisterous crowd. On the contrary, beyond the demonstration
following the call for cheers for the Union there was comparatively
little cheering. The crowd seemed burdened with a heavy sense of
the importance of the occasion. The conduct of the gathering was
serious to the point of positive solemnity.

"The Volunteers from their own ranks policed the grounds, not a
solitary member of the Royal Irish Constabulary being seen in the
enclosure. The sun shone brilliantly as Colonel Wallace led the men
of the North division into the enclosure. Amidst subdued cheers he
marched them across the field in fours, forming up in quarter
column by the right, facing left. For an hour and a quarter the
procession filed through the gates, the men taking up their
positions with perfect movement and not the faintest suggestion of
confusion. As the men from the West took up their position the
crowd broke into a great cheer. They mustered only two battalions,
but they had come from Mr. Devlin's constituency!

"As a body the men were magnificent. The hardy sons of toil from
shipyards and factories marched shoulder to shoulder with clergy
and doctors, professional men and clerks. From the saluting base
General Richardson took command, and almost immediately Sir Edward
Carson took up his position on the platform, with Lord Londonderry